This invention has relation to tools useful for positioning strip shingles on a roof surface preparatory to permanently fastening those shingles to the roof.
A roof project using square tab strip shingles typically involves affixing to the bottom edge of the roof a roofing starter roll by traditional nailing or stapling methods. Successive rows of square tab shingles are positioned to overlap the starter roll and the shingles of each successive roll are then attached to the roof, also by traditional nailing or stapling methods.
Before the present invention, attempts to obtain precise placement of each successive row of shingles to provide uniform alignment of shingle shadow lines included using chalk line, "naked eye", or notched hammer techniques. Skilled and experienced craftsmen are accustomed to obtaining satisfactory alignment of successive rows of shingle strips and of the strip singles within those rows; but the novice, careless, or "do-it-yourself" worker encounters substantial alignment difficulties while experience is being gained and skill is being acquired.
What was needed before the present invention was an alignment tool which could be fastened to a lower shingle strip to serve as a guide for precisely positioning a number of strip shingles of the next upper row to allow them to be nailed or stapled in the traditional manner.
In the above-identified parent application, the Examiner cited and applied the following U.S. patents as being pertinent:
U.S. Pat. No. 563,830 granted July 1896 to Pelley; U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,889 granted November 1977 to Barnett III; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,405,760 granted February 1922 to Collins and MacCormack.
This Examiner also cited the following U.S. patents as of interest:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,144 granted January 1982 to Barnett III;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,134 granted August 1981 to Schmanski;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,632 granted June 1959 to Longhi;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,318 granted June 1959 to Harrison et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 1,396,274 granted November 1921 to Neumeister; and
U.S. Pat. No. 1,067,121 granted July 1913 to Johnson.